Bandai Namco says customer data may be at risk after ransomware attack

Bandai Namco, the publisher of Elden Ring, Pac-Man and more, has shared that customer data may be at risk due to a ransomware attack that took place earlier in the month.

In a statement issued today (July 13), Bandai Namco confirmed that on July 3 a third-party gained “unauthorised access”, which affected “the internal systems of several Group companies in Asian regions”.

“After we confirmed the unauthorized access, we have taken measures such as blocking access to the servers to prevent the damage from spreading,” shared Bandai Namco.

However, the company has noted that some customer data may have been stolen by the third-party:

“There is a possibility that customer information related to the Toys and Hobby business in Asian regions (excluding Japan) was included in the servers and PCs, and we are currently identifying the […] existence of leakage, scope of the damage, and investigating the cause.”

Bandai Namco has offered “sincerest apologies to everyone involved”, and shared that an investigation into the incident is ongoing, the results of which will be shared publicly. Bandai Namco is also working with outside groups “to strengthen security […] and take measures to prevent recurrence”.

Although Bandai Namco’s statement does not touch on the attack’s motive, earlier in the week it was reported that the company had been the target of a ransomware attack. Likewise, the third party’s identity was not confirmed by Bandai Namco, but ransomware group ALPHV – also known as BlackCat – were allegedly responsible.

Over the last year, several high-profile companies in the gaming industry – including EA and CD Projekt Red – have been targeted by ransomware attacks.

In other news, Nintendo has internally recognised same-sex marriages, despite Japan’s government recently ruling it unconstitutional.